The present invention relates to a steering wheel arrangement for motor vehicles, comprising a steering wheel, a steering shaft joined to the steering wheel, a bearing device in which the steering shaft is rotatably mounted, means for moveably suspending the bearing device in the vehicle and locking means, by means of which the bearing device is lockable in various positions relative to the suspension means, wherein the bearing device is joined to the suspension means for pivot movement about a first shaft, and that the lock means comprise, firstly, a first package of thin friction plates alternatingly joined to the bearing device and the suspension means, secondly, spring clamping means arranged to press together, with constant spring force, the thin plates in the plate package to lock the bearing device and, thirdly, manually actuated means to remove the clamping effect of the clamping means and release the bearing device for resetting relative to the suspension means.
Known arrangements of this type make it possible to adjust the vertical position of the steering wheel to adapt it to the driving position of the driver, either through a telescoping arrangement or through an arrangement with articulating means with a horizontal pivot shaft. In the latter case, the vertical adjustment also involves changing the steering wheel angle relative to the driver. Such devices also facilitate entering and exiting from the vehicle, as do arrangements which permit lateral swinging of the steering wheel.
Common to most of the various known adjustment arrangements is that they have a locking means actuated by a manual knob or lever of friction type, the locking effect of which is dependent on how hard the driver turns the knob or pulls the lever. Since it is difficult to see to it that the lever or knob is always tightened with the same force, the locking force will in practice vary and deviations from ideal tightening, which produces a locking force which is suitably balanced for both normal loads and crash loads, are difficult to avoid.